Theá kai Mágos
by Ria D'Arcy
Summary: AU (world without nen) Taking in a few drinks at a club, Hisoka never imagined he would find a new toy there... and one which willingly came to him. Does she have her own agenda?
1. Burgundy Hair & Pink Eyes

_A/N: So this OC has been hanging around, neglected, for far too long and she finally got tired of waiting for her turn. And Hisoka, being the b*****d that he is, decided that **this** story was more amusing then his other one -_- So for anyone who has been reading **Tsutae's Secret** that story will probably be on hiatus for this month._

_Chapters will be short, regular(ish) updates, and probably minimal A/Ns._

* * *

A heavy glass was slammed on the counter beside him, the ice jumping as though someone had been pressing upon it. Sliding his gaze to catch sight of the length of burgundy hair from the corner of his yellow eye Hisoka smiled devilishly as he sipped at his own drink. There was nothing he liked better than this type of atmosphere, the feeling of restrained lust and ecstasy that was just one push away from breaking the line and crossing into the illegal and amoral. The magician leaned against the counter, resting his left foot along the bar near the floor, and tipped his own empty glass so the ice clinked.

"Hey," the woman beside Hisoka spoke without looking at him, shifting her position to mirror his, "I haven't seen ya around before. New?" The question earned a chuckle and nothing more from the magician though the woman's eyes flashed his way briefly; revealing a delicate pink Hisoka thought was at odds with the rest of her appearance. Her burgundy hair was straight, curling only at the ends to outline the flare of her jean hugged hips. Hisoka's eyes traced her figure, noting that it was highlighted by the formfitting black long sleeved shirt beneath a red spaghetti strap tank top. Continuing his inspection it was interesting to note that one leg of her jeans was cut off, the left one to be precise, mid-thigh and when his gaze touched upon lightly tanned skin it was immediately drawn to the intricate tattoo on her outer calf.

Distracted from her ink by a new glass being set in front of him, Hisoka missed the thin smirk forming on her pale lips before she smothered it. She turned her body so her elbows rested on the counter and she could look out into the crowd of mingling bodies, crossing her ankles. The lights were dimmed over the dance floor, but where the two of them stood they were bathed in white from overhead. She would have preferred being in the middle of those bodies, grinding against whoever caught her fancy, but since her latest interest seemed uninclined to move she had come to him. Hopefully he would be worth the effort.

Hisoka watched as she glanced at him and smiled, tilting her head in his direction so that hair fell across her alluring eyes. That smile was not of some innocent girl, or even that of a master seductress; it was a mischievous grin that the magician recognized all too well. It was the type of smile he showed to his opponents, a silent promise that whatever was to follow would be for _his_ enjoyment and nothing else. Responding in kind, a tiny tilt of his chin downwards, Hisoka returned that smile.

Upon seeing his agreement, though the magician did not know exactly _what_ he had given permission for, the woman pushed away without a word. She glanced over her shoulder as she walked, looking at Hisoka long enough to signal him to follow and with a smirk he set his half-finished drink aside. The music had shifted, the tempo picking up, and as it did so too did the dancers. She brushed through the crowd of sweating bodies, feeling the heat of so many people as they moved and breathed. It made her feel alive. But the best perk of this atmosphere was that no matter how much she herself let loose no one would be able to distinguish her lust from those around her and as the night progressed even her bloodlust could be drowned out and hidden.

Turning her head to look over her shoulder, seeking out the red head that had intrigued her, she was amazed to discover him so close. If she turned the rest of her body her shoulders would scrape against his chest, her body could easily press flush to his and wind her arms around his neck, running her fingers through that flaming hair and craning her neck back to the angle needed to stare into his strange golden yellow eyes… Stopping her fantasy from becoming reality she whipped her face around and focused on where she was leading him. Now was not the time… there was more fun to be had first. The night was young and needed to be savoured. However she could not stop herself from stretching a hand back, seeking out the red head's, and was pleased when a large and slightly calloused one enclosed hers. She dragged him faster through the throng of bodies towards their goal at the back of the club where the stairs were sectioned off. Only VIPs and other special guests were allowed on the second and third floors, if you weren't one of those you could never hope to become one. Although the club seemed like the average anyone-who-pays-a-fee-can-get-in kind it was a very exclusive place, one she enjoyed frequenting.

Spotting the man she wanted she released the red head's hand to approach him.

Hisoka watched as his entertainment walked confidently up to a man twice her size and who was leaning casually in tight fitting black clothes beside a set of closed double doors. In the dim light they were only visible close up. Someone who was in the midst of dancing and drinking would never spy them, which told the magician whatever was behind them was going to bring lots of fun. Hopefully it was _his_ kind of fun. It was always a pleasure when the toys just came to him without being beckoned.

He watched, bemused, as her length of burgundy hair was collected and tied into a low ponytail while she talked with the other man. It seemed an unconscious gesture but Hisoka could tell that she was charming the bloke. The man's eyes were riveted on her chest, and the magician could bet she was laying on a pleasant smile and saying whatever flattering things were needed to get past him. It was a game Hisoka had seen played out hundreds of times, and occasionally attempted to be played on him, by women of wealth or prestige.

It was not much longer before she returned to the magician's side, throwing her hair loose once more and exasperatedly sighing, "God, he's so pestering but we're in. Come." Hisoka allowed her to take his hand again and drew him closer to the doors.

The other man looked displeased at the red head's approach, eyes glaring at their locked hands, but did not move or speak to either of them. Of course Hisoka could not resist a little taunt, smiling widely and moving closer so it looked as though his body was pressing against the woman's. Narrowed eyes followed the two until the door was slammed in the watchdog's face. Hisoka chuckled.


	2. Third Floor

Beyond the doors was an empty room, just large enough for a few men to gather at the base of the wide staircase and illuminated by an overhead chandelier. Hisoka's eyes trailed up the banister, noting that it was made of dark wood and ornately carved, showing high class taste which contradicted with the low budgeting of the outer room. It was as though they had stepped over a threshold to another world.

Releasing the red head's hand and ascending the stairs with familiarity she trusted he would follow; why would he come this far only to turn back now? Curiosity was a wonderful thing. The higher she climbed the more sounds she could hear coming from the second floor. This place was every goodie-two-shoes law-abiding-citizen's worst nightmare; the heavy smell of drugs, sex, and blood clung to everything. But for her, it smelled of comfort.

She crested the top of the stairs but hung back from progressing further into the room, waiting for the man to catch up. The second floor was brighter than below but the lighting was still low enough to be described as dim. The smell of bodies and drugs surrounded the magician, making him want to purr. The place was immediately to his liking. The walls were draped in black curtains that shimmered; round tables were set about with lit candles adorning the tops and two elegantly upholstered chairs pushed back from each one. Further back in the room curtains partitioned off another section, and from behind them Hisoka heard all sorts of people in various throws of pleasure. His lips ghosted into a smirk. Was this why she had approached him? She wanted some fun in bed? The magician was not completely against the idea…

The woman moved forward, not a single eyelash batting as the sounds seemed to increase in volume and frequency, her steps sure as she made for a wall of curtains. Hisoka followed with a malicious smile, already anticipating what the two of them would be doing in only a few more moments. Coming up behind her, reaching for her waist, only to be stopped short as she pulled aside the black material to reveal, not a bed or any furniture Hisoka would have liked but instead, another staircase. He retracted his hands and forced his bottom lip out in a fleeting pout but his eye followed the sway of her hips as she climbed the steps, he himself following immediately after.

She brushed the stray strands of thick burgundy from her eyes, running her fingers across her scalp and pulling apart a few knots. Her thoughts turned inwards, thinking about what was about to happen…

Unknowingly she wetted her upturned lips.

* * *

The third floor was the brightest, allowing Hisoka to see everything there was to be offered; which was a grand way of saying that despite seeing a dozen collected men there was nothing of great interest. Half the collected group were dressed in expensive black suits, smoking or holding drinks, while the other half looked closer to street thugs with outfits that revealed skin and muscle but did nothing to impress Hisoka. Despite their appearances to try and convey money or physical strength neither group, collectively or separately, even compared to the magician, and he suspected the same held true for his dainty new toy that strolled boldly up to the suits.

"Hey boys, how're the odds playing tonight?" She stood on the outer ring of their circle, resting both hands on her hips and smiling easily. All they gave in return were heated glares. "Aw~ come on boys lighten up. I promise I'll follow the rules~"

Hisoka watched with great amusement.

"You lying bitch," the youngest-seeming of the suits spat, though was stopped from saying anymore when another patted his shoulder. This one seemed to hold the most power as the other four did nothing when he stepped towards the woman. He stood just over her height, trying to intimidate with physical presence until he noticed it had little effect. The cigar previously held between his fingers was raised to his lips and, smirking, he blew a puff of smoke in her face.

"If you want to play, you pay. Got it? And I don't care on the how." Sliding his unoccupied hand into his pocket he tried to appear like a man in control but Hisoka noticed the slight shake in that now hidden hand. He was affected when he saw that he couldn't get her to show fear; in fact the magician could guess she felt nothing towards this man at all.

She shrugged, dropping her hands, "Fine, fine, I promised to follow the rules. I already got my guy lined up." Hisoka saw as she jerked her thumb over her shoulder to point at him and raised an eyebrow in question. _This _was what she had had in mind? It almost made Hisoka want to yawn.

_"__Him?"_ The suited man snorted, prompting the rest of them to snicker while the non-suited group all focused on Hisoka to size him up. Though bored, he immediately grinned wolfishly and allowed some bloodlust to escape and permeate the room. It chilled those laughing and only heightened the tension between his supposed opponents. The woman seemed to be the only unaffected one, renewing Hisoka's interest somewhat.

Since her back was facing the red head he never did see the teeth baring smile she gave the original occupants of the floor.

"So game's on. Cool." She turned to walk out of the room, wrapping her arms about one of the red head's but before the two left she wanted to say one last thing, just for kicks, throwing the words over her shoulder, "Hope you boys remember to bring real men next time. I never did enjoy seeing pussies like these get their asses handed to them."

Angry insults erupted behind them and Hisoka chuckled, feeling as she did too. Oh this toy was entertaining alright, just not in ways the magician had expected…


	3. To Toast a Deal

Knocking his head back to down the shot in one go, the magician slammed the glass hard on the counter at the same instant his new drinking partner did as well. She laughed giddily, throwing her burgundy hair over her shoulder to settle against her back and called out for another round. A corner of Hisoka's lips quirked up in a half smirk.

They had returned to the bar on the main floor, Hisoka all the while still unsure of her intent (despite taking pleasure in simply having a new toy to play with). He watched as she took the next shot straight from the bartender, not even waiting for the magician to raise his own in cheers.

"Gah!" she cried and shook her head, "Dammit man, I didn't order whiskey!" Hisoka's smirk grew wider at her expression. He enjoyed that look far, _far_ too much for her safety. And before he could control his own expression she turned to him with a petulant twist on her lips but a sparkle of trickery in her pink eyes. "So my new drinking friend, what's the name? Or do I get to pick one?" She rested an elbow against the bar top, leaning heavily on it so she could cross her ankles like she had before.

"Oh by all means my little cherry~" Hisoka purred, raising his hand palm up towards her before picking up his shot to swallow the contents. He savored the honey flavor on his tongue and her lighthearted laugh in his ears.

"I'm a cherry huh? Then I guess you're a strawberry."

"Oh?" The magician asked with the quirk of an eyebrow, motioning for the bartender to pour another round of shots for them.

"You're dressed in pink dude; I ain't calling you anything else." He looked down at himself; a light pink half vest over a black fitted tank top and straight cut white pants that tucked into a pair of heeled black shoes. The magician shrugged his shoulders, if he looked like a strawberry to her why object?

She held out her right hand, smiling widely.

"Psyche Eros."

"Hisoka," he returned, shaking her hand.

* * *

"Hmm," Psyche hummed after the two had finished off a few more rounds of shots. Hisoka patiently waited to see what his little cherry would say. "Guess I should fill you in on the deal with those suits from upstairs."

"If you would be so kind~" He purred only to have her speak over him.

"Simple version is they run the top pay-out fighting tournament in the underground. No chick participation allowed or else I would be all over the deal. Bastards wised up after the second time…" Psyche had mumbled the last under her breath before tossing back her drink and wiping the back of her hand across her lips. "I needed a man; you fit the bill. Fifty-fifty split. Deal?"

Hisoka hid his shock remarkably well, calmly taking a sip of the rye and soda he had ordered. Whatever he had been expecting this woman to propose was definitely far from being hired to be, in essence, her knight.

"And if I should choose to decline?" His yellow eyes bore into lovely pink and he watched as they lit up in joy. What on earth was going through that head of hers? The magician did not have to wait long to find out.

"You're not going to decline," Psyche laughed. "I saw you up there. Those guys don't look like a threat, but I guarantee better fighters will be in the tourney. You ain't gonna run _now_ are you?"

The red head's tongue appeared as he wet his lips, a very predator look entering his features as he relinquished a slight hold on his lust. Psyche shivered at the feeling. Oh how she was enjoying his company.

"You can assure me of this, yes? I don't like entering boring fights ne~" Hisoka's body had unconsciously leaned towards the woman as she in turn had moved closer to him. All the other club-goers seemed to have backed away to create a private pocket for the two bathed in a too bright light for the thick atmosphere.

"By all means, a boring fight is pointless. On the off chance that happens, I will happily become your opponent, _Mr._ Hisoka." Psyche winked, leaning away from a widely smiling red head. The temptation to fight her now was overwhelming. Both were heavily enshrouded in bloodlust, their bodies dancing subconsciously around one another. It was the result of two born fighters as they mingled in an uncontrollable environment, needing and _wanting_ to test the other to compare their skills and limits.

"Ooh," the magician once more licked at his lips, "Shall we toast on that?"

"Of course." Psyche raised her glass to the magician's, tapping them softly before taking a sip. Hisoka watched over the lip of his own glass. A satisfyingly interesting toy had indeed come his way.


	4. Preliminaries

It was moments before his first match of the underground tournament four nights later. Hisoka was stretching his arms leisurely in the small locker room that held the other three men also participating in this first round. The side walls were lined with standard metal grey lockers, two of which currently opened with men standing before them and, as Hisoka watched, the one with cropped black hair closed his door and strolled over to him. Narrowing his black eyes he flexed his muscles the closer he became to the magician, who smiled evilly. His opponent was dressed like a common wrestler; lime green tights beneath a black leotard, matching colored sweatbands on his wrists, and showing an obvious pride in his muscles.

"Oi little man, you better bet your odds that you don't go against me. I pick guys like you from my teeth for breakfast." He stopped an inch from Hisoka's chest, though his height was hardly greater than the magician's. Hisoka responded by placing his hand on his hip, popping out that side, and saying nothing. Unfortunately the wrestler took his silence as fear and decided to try and play it up more, spouting nothing but amusing words to the red head, "You still got some time to run, little man. I face you in the tournament and you won't be walking anywhere ever again."

"Hmm~" Hisoka hummed before turning away. Perhaps he would get his chance to fight his toy sooner than he thought; if _that_ man was his opponent the tournament would be over for the magician before the first round ended… ended with the wrestler's crumpled and bleeding body, and no fun to be had for the magician.

The main door slid open just then to reveal a man with a head of combed back gray hair and a neatly trimmed mustache in a white button down shirt, his cuffs rolled up, and black dress pants. Hisoka presumed this man would be the referee for the fights. He leaned his shoulder against a random locker and watched the other fold his hands behind his back before speaking in a voice that carried throughout the room with ease.

"If I may have your attention gentlemen," the remaining men turned their gazes to him, "The first round has been decided. The match will be between Loukios," a man with shoulder length cyan hair and wearing what seemed to be a short leather tunic stepped forward, "and Hisoka. If those two would please follow me while the remaining men wait for my return."

Hisoka straightened to follow the referee and his first opponent, happy that he at least seemed more interesting than the other one, but was stopped when the wrestler blocked his path.

"Your bet paid well and good this round little man, but you win this fight and I will see you in the ring afterwards." The wrestler was stopped from saying anything else as Hisoka's gaze went beyond him and he walked around the other's large mass without a care. It was as though the man was a fly, not even one you would bother to swat away. The only thing which the wrestler inspired in the magician was annoyance. There was nothing Hisoka disliked more than a man who thought such petty words would create fear; actions would always speak louder.

* * *

The burgundy haired woman was leaning on the bars that ringed the upper level of the underground stadium, the mass of other spectators below her filling the seats to bursting. Psyche smiled when she caught her first glimpse of the red head. She hadn't lied when she had told him it was the top pay-out tournament, if it wasn't she would not have risked her neck more than once to enter on her own.

Laying her chin on her crossed arms, Psyche watched with hawk-like intensity, not allowing any movement from the stage to slip past her. The grey haired referee, Osamu (the man who had been the one to out her ironically) stood passively in the centre. He was waiting for the crowd to settle and the signal to begin the introductions. Pink eyes roved over the red head, seeing that he was dressed in a pair of loose black pants, those same black heels, and a tightfitting white tank top. His hair was spiked back and she was happy to see his face painted. The spring green tear beneath his left eye and the maroon star beneath his right seemed oddly fitting on the man.

Osamu raised his hands to draw the crowd's attention to him and away from the two men about to beat the shit out of each other. Psyche trailed her eyes around the ring to focus on the one man she didn't know…

"Good evening to the ladies and gentlemen gathered," Osamu began with a scattering of lukewarm applause, "It will be my pleasure to be the sole referee of this tournament." Psyche tuned out the rest of what Osamu was spouting; she had heard the speech before and didn't need a reminder of the tournament's sponsors, payouts, and rules. It was a formality, a very long and boring formality…

She covered a yawn, eyelids dropping so Psyche only saw through half slits, but which was still enough to see, that Hisoka too was growing tired of the nonstop talking. He seemed bored and when she was lowering her hand to resettle against the bar he looked directly up at her. Psyche caught the red head's wink the second before, inexplicably, Osamu's pants dropped to pool around his ankles and reveal the old man's white briefs. Hastily Osamu tried to pull his pants back up, fumbling and almost falling, as the crowd gasped in shock and a few snickered. Psyche didn't attempt politeness and burst into loud chuckles which lead to heated glares from those around her.

After she had wiped the moisture from her eyes, Psyche was able to clearly see the pleased look on the read head's face and the displeased one on Osamu's.

The old man glanced angrily at Hisoka from the corner of his eye, though decided to continue with his speech as he held his pants up.

"Ahem," Osamu coughed, "As I was saying, I hope that you all will enjoy the tournament to the upmost." A loud round of applause and cheers forced another pause in Osamu's speech and he patiently rode it out, though the look on his face betrayed his want to get off the stage. "This match will be between the man sponsored by the Hamasaki family – Loukios – and the man sponsored by the Eros family – Hisoka. Please take the next couple of minutes to place your bets. Pick wisely gentlemen." Psyche watched with a smirk as Osamu left the stage in search of either a belt or another pair of pants. She was thinking she had picked out the perfect man to entertain her during this tournament… and perhaps could _continue_ entertaining her for a long time afterwards.


	5. Preliminaries Prt 2

If asked the magician would not have said the match was entertaining, but he would not dismiss it as boring either. It was _satisfactory_.

What was truly delightful to the magician was spying the upturned lips of his new toy, the sparkle in her pink eyes, and the way she was leaning on the wall across from the locker room fanning herself with a few thousand jennies as he returned from the stage. His own lips twitched upwards.

"You my friend were better than expected." Psyche stated as she pushed away from the wall, sauntering over to the red head. She grabbed his hand to deposit the full amount of paper into his palm. Raising one red eyebrow at Psyche she shrugged, "I can always make more next round."

"And if that match bored me to tears so much I choose to walk away now?" he purred, the money slid into his pocket regardless, and in exchange he produced a deck of ordinary seeming playing cards.

"Then I and you fight for the money." Psyche shrugged again as the two made their way down the hallway to join the people in the stands, and continued walking until they had reached the spot Psyche had previously used to view Hisoka's match. There was not much more said between the two as they watched the second round.

As far as Psyche was aware, there were sixteen families participating this year - so they were split up into four blocks of four fighters each. When someone was designated to fight depended on which block they were placed in; Hisoka had been placed into Block C so he was arranged to fight on the third night of the week-long tournament, and he would be fighting again tonight to determine if he moved on to the semi-finals, which were slotted to take place in forty-eight hours. If things remained as they were she had no question that he could win the entire tournament, earning herself (and him) an exceptional amount of money.

The magician was leaning on the bars, allowing it to hold his weight as his yellow eyes flitted between watching the match, which was swiftly drawing to a close, and the woman beside him. She seemed to be absorbed in her own little world, lowering her guard and tempting Hisoka to play prematurely… Suddenly though Psyche arched her back and stretched her arms above her head.

"Wuah! Couldn't that fight have been more amusing? It's like they weren't even trying to put on a show." Pushing her bottom lip out, she slid her pink eyes to the red head beside her. "When you face off against that guy," she jerked her thumb towards the stage, "toy with him. I'm liable to fall asleep unless something neat happens."

Hisoka's lips curled into that mischievous grin of his before he pushed away and leisurely returned to the locker room. The fight between the wannabe wrestler and his opponent (Hisoka hadn't taken the time to memorize his appearance) had ended so it was once more the magician's turn.

* * *

Easily lifting himself up onto the stage Hisoka rested his weight on a single leg, allowing the other knee to bend, and laid his hands on his hips. There was a bemused smirk on his lips as he watched the referee glare sideways at him. Across the stage, his opponent stood looking as though he had recently won the lottery.

"Oi little man!" the tight-clad wannabe wrestler called, once more trying to intimidate the magician with words even a toddler would laugh at, "You can still run away now. Once the match starts I won't stop even if you beg me'ta."

"Oh~ Let us just see who will be begging whom…" Hisoka's expression turned predatory and the wrestler felt the first trickle of fear go down his spine.

Osamu stepped between them into the centre of the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final match of the evening will be fought between Hisoka, sponsored by the Eros family, and Ely, sponsored by the Lagolas family! Place your bets within the next couple of minutes so we can get this match going!" Cheers and applauds resounded throughout the underground stadium; drawing enthusiasm from the crowd, Ely fueled confidence.

Producing his favourite deck of cards the magician smiled as he shuffled. He debated throwing another towards the referee, it had been quite amusing pantsing him the first time, but Hisoka eventually decided not to risk it. How would his little cherry take it if he was disqualified, and when he was facing this oaf? In fact, if the magician in any way allowed his opponent to win he was likely to suffer a great blow to his reputation. Hisoka put the cards away. The fight wouldn't be taken overly seriously but he _would_ put some effort in.

His toy had also wanted a show…

* * *

From high in the stands Psyche stood watching, like a goddess who looks down upon the mortal realm. And true to her namesake she did feel like a goddess. She was able to watch as her red head easily manipulated his opponent, provoking and outmaneuvering Ely as though he was inside the other's head, and knew without a doubt that his every victory was in essence her own.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah I know I should be writing in the actual fights but meh, I haven't felt like it. I will eventually I'm sure, maybe for the finals or something *shrugs* _

_It feels kind of strange not to be writing A/Ns for all these chapters, but with them being so short and all... plus I'm writing chapters ahead and I don't want to accidentally spoil anything. _

_... Yeah, that's all I have to say :/ Not even Hisoka or Psyche wants to add anything and everyone else is just MIA. Strange..._


	6. Three Card Monte

_A/N: I finally caught up on the new Hunter x Hunter episodes! So because I'm feeling happy I'm going to spread the joy and update a littler earlier. Enjoy ;)_

* * *

Psyche folded the bills she was handed, turning away from the bulletproof glass so the next person could cash their winning ticket. True to her prediction, betting on her red head had made her more money than even when she herself had been fighting. Maybe she should have gone into the middleman business…

A hand slipped around her waist, pulling her side flush to a more muscled one. A deep chuckle greeted her ears and Psyche glanced from the corner of her eye to see her money-making red head. It was about time he returned from the locker room.

"Ah, I was just wondering about you…" Psyche tapped her chin with the hundreds of thousands of jennies she had received, a brilliant smile escaping, "Shall we celebrate with a drink or two?"

"Ooh~ By all means lead the way my little green stemmed cherry." Hisoka smiled, though a little predatory light was obvious in his golden orbs.

* * *

"Read it and weep Hisoka! Straight Flush!" Psyche laid down her hand, showing the magician her cards and proving she had won the round. Nothing could be done about his loss so, with the grace of a decent gentleman, Hisoka bought the next round of drinks as she gathered the cards.

In lieu of going to the club where the two had met, or any other primary drinking hole, they had ended up in a high class bar picked out by the magician. Stylized men and women occupied the raised tables and, if given a closer look, could have easily been identified as anyone from politicians to influential and prominent business tycoons. The gentle background music was classical, giving the atmosphere a sorely unneeded sophistication boost. Had Psyche not grown up in such a similar lifestyle she would have been uncomfortable, but as it was she brushed aside the annoyed looks of the other patrons and basked in her seventh win against the red head.

She dealt the next hand as the drinks arrived. The waiter who brought them could have been torn from a fancy magazine; even his hair was slicked back with enough grease that it gleamed under the mood lighting. It took Psyche a great deal of control not to laugh as he turned his back, the tray tucked under his arm as he approached another table.

Hisoka sipped at his drink and picked up his cards, wondering what had been dealt this round. As far as this unconventional game of poker went it was the most fun the magician had experienced in a while. Though the idea had come from his companion, his mind had been working on ways to use it to his advantage. At first it was only a simple game of loser buys the next round… but now he was ready to spring a higher bounty on his little cherry.

Smiling to himself, the magician laid down his cards to reveal a boat - sevens over tens - which allowed him to win over the woman's simple two pair.

"Dammit," Psyche cursed as she threw the cards on the pile in front of the red head, "Alright whataya want to drink?"

"A simple drink is boring… I believe it's time to up the game. Don't you agree?"

"Oh really?" Elbows rested on the table as she knitted her fingers and leaned in closer. Aware that he was smirking, Psyche's curiosity was forcing her to at least find out what he was planning if not necessarily ready to agree to it, "And what are you proposing, _Mr._ Hisoka?"'

"A simple game my little cherry. A simple game, and nothing more." He too leaned in on his elbows, yellow eyes locking with pink. "You are familiar with the game known as _Three Card Monte_ correct?" Psyche nodded. "Then a simple bet, a simple pick, and the winner asks a simple question. Deal?"

"Sounds… simple," she laughed. The game was a favourite of hers actually, and why shouldn't it be? A few easy tricks and you could win. So, knowing these tricks, Psyche would have the upper hand. A fact the red head didn't know.

"Then allow me," Hisoka purred as he took three cards from the deck, setting the rest aside. The three he laid face up on the table, to reveal to the woman the Ace of Hearts, the Ace of Diamonds, and the Queen of Spades. With a simple move he flipped all three upside down and proceeded to shuffle them, but not at a speed Psyche was incapable of following. With a flourish Hisoka withdrew his hands and waved at the neatly placed trio of red backed cards. "Take your pick my little cherry."

With a broad smile Psyche flipped the card on her left. It was indeed the Queen of Spades.

"Why do you keep calling me a cherry?" The question was asked before the magician could gather the cards, prompting one side of his lips to twitch up in amusement.

"There is no definitive reason; just a lovely pet name I thought would suit you." Hisoka began to mix the cards though his eyes never once glanced down, and before Psyche even knew it she had no idea which card was the Queen.

* * *

Once more Hisoka withdrew his hands, allowing his companion to take her time to pick whichever card she thought would earn her victory. Little did she know, he had replaced the Queen of Spades this round; no longer allowing any chance for her to win and consequently any possibility of her asking him more questions. Never had the magician planned for the game to be played out for long.

So far the three questions she had asked, and the one he had been granted through luck, were inconsequential. Psyche had asked about his pet name for her, why he had been in the club that night, and his age. For him, he had used the question to sate his own curiosity about her age. It was intriguing to discover she was almost three years his junior.

"I pick…" Psyche's hand hovered over the center card before it darted to the one on her right, "this one!" She flipped it over triumphantly only to have her face fall when it revealed the Ace of Hearts. The magician chuckled.

"Too bad, looks like I get to ask my second question ne~"


	7. Questions and--

_A/N: Sorry guys but I haven't been able to write many new chapters for this due to repeated headaches over the past few days - none of which are Hisoka-related *le gasp*. So I hope you guys can have patience with me and I hope you forgive any spelling/grammar mistakes (but please don't hesitate to point them out)._

* * *

Psyche sighed and sat back with a wave of her hand, "Fine, fine, ask away."

With a grand smile and a quick shuffle of cards the next round was ready to begin but Hisoka had yet to choose which question he wanted to ask, and how to word it.

"Why did you pick me?" He left the question semi-vague on purpose. If he was too specific there was a chance his toy could either dodge what he really wanted to know or would lie, not that he wasn't already taking her answers with a grain of salt but she seemed slightly more honest them himself… Either that or she was more a fool than even Hisoka had thought.

"I told you already, I needed a male to fight and you were one that fit the bill." Psyche raised her glass to sip, using the excuse to avoid saying anything more. Her eyes trailed over the three cards in the hopes of somehow divining which could be the Queen.

"Was it really that simple?"

"You already asked your question." As her eyes were still focused on the table she never saw Hisoka's smile. It was a cross between amusement and irritation. His little cherry had not only avoided giving him new information but had also not allowed a free answer to slip. It seemed she was _not_ a fool.

"Indeed. Pick a card, any card, and maybe you will pick the Queen." Hisoka sounded like he was set up on the street side with nothing but a folding table and these three cards, preparing to swindle the gullible passersby.

"Hmm… I think I will choose… this one!" Flipping the center card Psyche was disappointed to discover not the Queen of Spades but once more the Ace of Hearts. "Drats, I'm starting to hate that card."

"It's a wonderful card, but now for my next question… Let's start with what I already asked."

Tapping her nails against the table Psyche thought of how to answer. It was a trick question since the answer could be both 'yes' and 'no.' Was it simply she needed someone, a male someone, to fight in her steed in the tournament? Yes. Was picking that someone easy or simple? Hell no. She had scouted out lots of guys in the past weeks, going to various bars and underground clubs where the street thugs and low level mafia tended to collect, but never had she found one. Coming across the red head had been a sheer miracle; for had she not discovered him, Psyche had been ready to climb those stairs alone and demand her right to enter the tournament. She had already proven her strength, and it would have been welcomed had she only been born the opposite sex.

But Psyche didn't have to elaborate, he had asked a question that could be answered with a single, "No," and was already on to picking her next card.

"Oh, too bad," Hisoka purred as his cherry revealed the Ace of Diamonds. "Why was it not simple?"

This time when Psyche sipped her drink she kept the rim against her lip afterwards as she thought. There had to be a way around his questioning…

"Because I'm a picky person."

"So I wasn't your first choice?" The red head pouted, exaggerating it by lowering his head and looking up through his lashes at Psyche, who was ignoring him to eye the cards. Once more the center card was flipped to show the detested Ace of Hearts. The face outlined by burgundy hair darkened in irritation before she relaxed, not even waiting for Hisoka to speak.

"No, you weren't."

"So cruel~" The magician cooed as he rested his chin on the knuckles of his left hand. He had noticed the irritation, and the accompanying tension in her shoulders, and knew that if the game continued on like this she would soon suspect something was amiss. Hisoka would not call this his loss; instead it could be considered a prelude to what was to come…

She flipped the left-most card; the Ace of Hearts.

As Psyche threw it down Hisoka gathered all the cards and asked his final question, "Won't my little cherry come home with me~?"


	8. Unanticipated Reactions

It seemed as though the entire bar went silent following Hisoka's question, even the background music faded out for just the breath of a moment Psyche needed to register his words. A heartbeat later and she was laughing. She tried to stifle it, honestly she tried – biting her lip, her tongue, her inner cheek, even chomping down on the back of her hand – but it didn't matter what her teeth dug into, the woman's shoulders shook and it was clear as a bell that she was laughing.

Hisoka was dumbfounded, sitting there across the table, blinking slowly, as he watched Psyche wrap her arms across her torso and bow her head. Burgundy bangs fell to cover her face and soon the stifled laughter turned to breathless gasps. Had he said something amusing?

"I-I'm-" Psyche tried to say only to break into another laughing fit. The longer she was choked up with giggles the more Hisoka grew annoyed. There had been nothing to laugh so hard about; he had been asking in all seriousness. It was some minutes later before Psyche could speak uninterrupted. "I'm sorry. You caught me off guard." She chuckled softly before cutting herself off with a drink.

By now Hisoka's face was contorted into a glower. Never in his past had anyone _laughed_, _in his face_, after he had offered them to spend a night with him. It was a bigger blow to his pride than the magician would ever acknowledge, even to himself. There had been those who refused his advances of course, like his little pinkette Machi or Illumi from the Zoldyck family, but many more had freely offered themselves.

Burgundy hair was scraped back as Psyche coughed, having choked on her drink when she couldn't stop her giggles. The red head watched Psyche pound on her chest in an attempt to clear her airway.

"Ow, that hurt." Pink eyes rose to lock with yellow, "Were you serious? About going home with you?"

"Deadly~"

"Then I'm declining. You need to keep your mind on the tournament and out of the gutter. Day after tomorrow you're back on stage, I expect a win." Her entire demeanor shifted from relaxed to serious in a split second, throwing Hisoka for another loop. Psyche easily climbed off her chair and the magician was left to silently watch her stroll across the room, hair fanning out behind her, to strike up a conversation with the bartender and pay for their drinks.

* * *

It was only later that night, after returning to her small apartment, that Psyche gave any more thought to what Hisoka had asked her. It wasn't uncommon for people to try to pick her up while she was out hitting the clubs, most nights it was welcomed in fact and she usually ended up going home with one or another of them, but… she didn't understand why him asking seemed so unusual. The man exuded confidence, danger, and lust. It was precisely that mixture which had drawn Psyche to him, so a proposition of sex should have been a given.

_Something must be wrong with me_, the woman concluded as the reading lamp on the nightstand was switched off and she settled onto her side to sleep. The only sounds came from the nightlife beyond her open window; the noises of cars and groups of drunken citizens. Typically such a thing would be tuned out or used as a lullaby for Psyche to drift asleep but tonight seemed to hold the opposite effect. No matter which way she turned, how many times her hair was pushed behind her ears, or the covers thrown off, only to be returned up to her chin, Psyche could not get to sleep.

Finally with a sigh she rose permanently from her bed, seeing the first gray streaks of morning sunlight on a dreary looking day.

* * *

The magician's night was equally unpleasant. However for him it had not been a matter of being _unable_ to sleep, for he had immediately drifted off, but it was his dreams which had disturbed him. They had been filled with the burgundy haired woman and her laughter. Sometimes the laughter sounded as it had at the bar, but as the night had worn on it had twisted and mocked him. That mocking laughter haunted him, dredging up memories of his past Hisoka had thought were long buried and discarded.

To deal with such unwanted thoughts, he had risen from his hotel bed at the crack of dawn and crossed the room, unabashedly in the nude, to the bathroom where the shower was turned to its hottest setting and the magician stepped beneath the spray.

* * *

_A/N: I'm not going to sugar coat this, my life this past week has been shit. I'm barely able to even think about this story and I'm sorry for that guys. I'll try to get out the chapters - I **want** to finish this - but please bare with me if it's not super fast._


	9. Semi-Finals

_A/N: OH MY GOD THE MANGA UPDATED! XD_

_Hisoka: Ooh~ Ria-chan is all fired up right now. How wonderful~_

_A/N: *hugs Hisoka* THE MANGA IS BACK!_

_Hisoka: *startled into silence*_

_Killua: Uh... Ria, you okay in the head?_

_A/N: I'm on Cloud-freakin'-Nine right now! :D_

_Killua: You're about to STAY in the clouds if you continue to hug the clown._

_A/N: Who cares?! *squeezes Hisoka more* I've been waiting for this day for YEARS!_

_Hisoka: *looks down at Ria* Hmm, well this is certainly an interesting development..._

_A/N: Shut up and let me just bask in this happiness *sighs happily while continuing to cling to Hisoka*_

_Killua: And with her now calming down, this update is brought to you in celebration of the manga's return - so please leave a review to keep this crazy ***** happy and NOT trying to kill us all._

* * *

The next time Psyche saw her red haired fighter was the night of the tournament's first semi-final match, over a day after they had parted ways following their game of _Three Card Monte_. She had not been able to talk to him before the fight, having been detained in the lobby by the goon who had attempted to prevent her from entering the tournament altogether. He was an ass, but an influential one so Psyche had played nice… Okay, as nice as she could without sickening her own stomach.

She plunked her chin into the palm of her hand as she leaned over the railings above the stage and sighed at the remembrance, hoping he would leave her alone after the fight – which was between Hisoka and his fighter. It wasn't one of the thugs who had been present on the third floor; this one seemed to be on a slightly higher level. Maybe she would finally see Hisoka fight for real…

… Or not.

It had been a full fifteen minutes since Osamu had started the match and so far Hisoka hadn't moved a single millimetre from his starting position. None of his opponent's attacks had landed, which made the guy even more aggressive, and if Psyche could tell anything from the red head's expression it was that he was growing bored. If this kept up, sure Hisoka would win but, would he still feel inclined to continue the tournament on her behalf? The answer would be a resounding no. She had promised him tough fighters, this guys were like wet rags.

And just for the icing on this cake, Psyche was once more bothered by that mafia guy (she really should make an effort to remember his name). He strolled right up to her as she straightened and blew a puff of smoke in her face, laughing as she waved her hand in front of her nose and coughed. She hated cigar smoke.

"I see your fighter is too scared to move," he took another drag and pocketed his other hand. Dressed in a classical black suit, the jacket unbuttoned to reveal the white dress shirt beneath, Psyche still couldn't prevent herself from seeing him as nothing more than a slim covered rock. Though she pictured all of the high profile mafia men as such, so really she was saying he was nothing special.

"Look again and you'll see that he hasn't taken one hit, while _your_ fighter is sustaining quite the number of blows…"

"Like hell that's true," he spat but still glanced from the corner of his eye to the stage, worry and fear mixing together in his expression. When he saw that it was the truth, maybe a little exaggerated, he paled. The hand holding the cigar to his lips dropped, forgotten, as he continued to watch the match. Psyche smiled cruelly, enjoying the renewed silence from him as the crowd roared with another hit.

She turned to watch the match again herself. Hisoka was still on his original side of the stage, arms crossed over a tight fitting red muscle shirt, and he wasn't smiling. In fact… Psyche wanted to say he was almost _glaring_ at his opponent, and in truth he was.

Hisoka was peeved that his opponent was so weak. Boasting nothing but brute strength and head on attacks the magician could have defeated him in his sleep. His mood prior to beginning the fight was also playing a role on his irritation. He had been on edge and frustrated at every little thing since that dream of his. Perhaps the time for playing was over… not just for this match but also with his toy. Hisoka would fight his little cherry. And the sooner, the better.

So he took his first step of the match towards his opponent, the crowd simultaneously gasping and Psyche cocking her head to the side. The unhurried approach threw Hisoka's opponent off guard so much that the magician had reached him before the other could think a coherent thought. But once Hisoka stood within arm's reach of the man he was done for; a couple of strong punches to the man's torso and jaw and he was dropped like a fly.

Osamu announced the winner as Hisoka walked off. He didn't care about the intermingling of cheers and boos, and he certainly didn't care about this tournament any longer. It was time for him to fight his little cherry and shake off this damnable feeling. It was time for Hisoka to once again gain full control of himself.

* * *

Psyche pushed away from the railing and jogged towards the locker room, where she presumed the red head was going. Something about that last, and only, attack of his seemed different.

_Maybe he had used his full strength?_ The question echoed in Psyche's mind as she picked up a little speed. If _that_ was only a glimpse of what the red head was capable of, even she knew there was no chance of winning if they went against one another. She could put up a bit of resistance but in the end Psyche knew that unless a miracle happened in her favour she would lose to him. And the loss would end up costing her her life.


	10. Prelude to What?

_A/N: Start the countdown, there are only so many chapters left people! Hopefully I keep you entertained to the final sentence and do Hisoka's character justice. _

* * *

Hisoka's body was beginning to shake from the contained bloodlust. He needed to find an opponent, a strong one, and soon. Just as fate would have it he saw his little cherry running towards him at that moment.

Psyche was rapidly coming down the brightly lit hallway, shadows thrown out in every direction beneath her and Hisoka did not waste a moment. He simply _could not_ wait any longer. The small hallway became coated in his bloodlust. Psyche was startled, but her eyes remained glued on the magician and as she slowed she was able to see him pull a deck of cards from his pocket and, with practiced ease, threw three with great strength in her direction.

Psyche's instincts told her to run, but also to stay and fight. The internal struggle reduced her reaction time. Only capable of catching two out of three of the projectiles Psyche hissed in pain as the last one tore through her right side. Blood quickly seeped into her black tank top and the revealed skin was nothing more than red and pale colored inner flesh. She pressed her left hand to the wound and dropped the cards she had caught in her opposite hand to the floor. Confusion and anger swirled in pink eyes.

"What the hell?" Psyche spat as she felt the blood heavily coat her fingers, shortly after it began to seep through and dripped to the floor. She flinched when she tried to move. _Damn, that hurts. Why though? What is going on with him? _

"Time to play my little cherry…" Hisoka's voice sounded like it had been recorded on an old music box, one that had been played over and over but eventually left forgotten. It was the eeriest sound Psyche had ever heard.

She slid her right foot back, hand still over her wound, and contemplated what to do. All the while Hisoka approached at the same unhurried pace he had used on his opponent just minutes ago. Her heart rate increased though she kept strict control of her breathing.

What were her options? She could fight - which would probably end with her death - or she could run - which would also lead to her death. Psyche struggled to decide the best course of action, all the while Hisoka approached slowly. His presence added great pressure to Psyche, forcing her to hurriedly rush to a decision she may have otherwise never considered in her current state.

* * *

Just as Hisoka had reached a distance from Psyche, which was twice the distance of her wingspan, she sucked in a breath and booked it forward. She wasn't trying to rush _at_ the magician, but simply rush _past_ the magician. And it would have worked had his reaction been any more delayed. As it was, just a second before the woman would have fully passed him Hisoka's arm shot out to hook Psyche's bent elbow. She was jerked back. A hiss escaped through her lips as the jerk caused her hand, more specifically her nails, to scrape harshly against her open wound and more blood spurted free.

Hisoka was malevolent. A face splitting grin revealed his canines even as he raised his opposite hand to block the spinning kick his toy had executed, directly aimed to crush his windpipe. His fingers curled around Psyche's right ankle, digging his nails into her flesh to stop her attack, and used his own left foot to take out hers.

As Psyche felt her leg knocked out from beneath her she attempted to twist in the short fall, using her torso as the main pivot. The slice in her side prevented her from completing the turn, landing her heavily on her stomach and now incapable of sweeping Hisoka's legs out as she had wanted to. More blood was forced from Psyche's side, the warm red liquid thinly coating the floor around her. She felt the breath knocked from her lungs at the sudden contact but did not allow herself time to recover. To be more accurate, just as Psyche began to spring back to her feet (despite feeling the protest once more from her wound) Hisoka kicked her uninjured side.

Psyche was sent rolling a great distance down the hallway.

By the time she stopped rolling, and had managed to crouch, her burgundy hair was wild - some strands were falling over her shoulders, some ends had become stuck in her wound, and more were coated in blood as she coughed up a bit of the liquid.

The magician steadily paced towards his crouching toy, enjoying the wide eyes that shot up to lock onto him when she finally heard the clicking of his shoes on tile. Hisoka chuckled.

Psyche pushed herself to her feet, keeping her knees bent as she clasped her hand over her wound and briefly closed her eyes. It would have helped if her breathing wasn't ragged, if her body could respond how she wanted, if her mind was calm… but none of that was happening. In all her experience, Psyche had never faced an opponent like Hisoka. She had never experienced a life-or-death fight to this extreme.

In all honesty, every fight Psyche had once thought she had staked her life on was a joke compared to this. All those fights, all those opponents, not once had she felt this pressure or uneasiness. It had been a long, long time since Psyche had thought her life was truly in danger of being ended.

Swallowing, Psyche knew she only had one option left to her. She opened her eyes.

Hisoka had closed the distance between them and his nose was nearly touching her own. Yellow orbs were smiling into scarred pink ones.


	11. From One Emotion to Another

_A/N: Special thanks to **Razorblade Mistress** for being my beta on this chapter :) Hope you all enjoy ^^_

* * *

Psyche's lips parted but she choked on her scream. With her back pressed to the wall, one bloodied hand clamped to her wound, and Hisoka mere centimeters from her face, Psyche couldn't properly think.

The magician slammed his hands against the wall beside her head, causing Psyche to flinch, and pressed his body closer to hers. Physical proximity was something Hisoka had always excelled at but this time it was working both to his advantage and disadvantage. The smell of Psyche's blood was wafting up to him. Her breath was mingling with his and inviting him closer.

He decided to accept the invitation.

Hisoka pressed his lips to Psyche's; not in the gentle way a first kiss should happen, but rather harshly. Hisoka was looking to dominate. Before Psyche could even think beyond the fragmented, _'He's… my… lips,_' Hisoka had taken advantage of her slightly open mouth to slip his tongue inside.

Psyche moaned as she followed Hisoka's lead, allowing her tongue to dance with his and giving him her complete submission. The magician kept his hands flattened against the wall as he continued to move nearer to her, ensuring Psyche had no means of escape. However, the woman was willingly arching her back to press into him more, her pink eyes having closed of their own volition shortly after the kiss had begun.

He pulled back only when it was necessary to take in a new breath, smirking arrogantly when he saw the flush on Psyche's cheeks and the shallow panting of her breaths. His own respiring was somewhat ragged as well and his yellow eyes were half closed in pleasurable lust. Oh, how this toy was going to entertain him tonight…

Psyche's mind was reeling as she repeatedly gasped fresh air into her neglected lungs. She was having a hard time catching up and connecting all these events. They seemed too disjointed to make much sense. Unfortunately (or perhaps rather fortunately), her thoughts and mind were silenced by Hisoka's second kiss, which was every bit as ravaging as the first.

This time Psyche's body responded more eagerly, her right hand finding its way into Hisoka's hair, curling her fist among the red strands to hold his mouth to hers. Hisoka too decided to stop restraining himself. He used one hand to pry Psyche's from his hair and the other to capture her other wrist to pin both above her head in one of his own. Psyche moaned a pathetic protest. She was now enjoying this feather touch of helplessness at the magician's hand. At least, she was until Hisoka broke the kiss a second time. He pulled his face away to gaze into her hazy pink eyes before he raked his nails across her side, intentionally digging them into her wound. Psyche gasped in pain, struggling to release her arms and pull away. Hisoka chuckled and repeated the action, feeling the fresh blood collect beneath his fingernails as some dripped to paint the floor with crimson polka dots.

Psyche felt her body tense, squeezing her eyes shut in anticipation of Hisoka agitating her wound again. When no such action happened she warily opened one eye to watch as he licked his fingers. She suppressed a gag.

Hisoka hummed as he tasted Psyche's blood, his other hand involuntarily tightening around her wrists.

* * *

Psyche's back was slammed into the metal lockers with such force she would have stumbled forward again were it not for Hisoka blocking her way. He restrained her against there, taking control of her mouth and entangling one hand in her hair while he forced her legs apart with his knee. All too willing to obey, Psyche moaned into Hisoka. She didn't understand why any of this was happening; short minutes ago she had been afraid and now she was greedily hungering for his body.

A sharp tug on her hair broke their kiss, and Psyche would have complained but that Hisoka's lips were working down her neck. He was taking his sweet time, moistening her skin so that she shivered when his warm mouth moved away. She felt the vibration as Hisoka chuckled.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his lips once again met to hers, relishing the feeling as his large hands traced her figure down to the hem of her shirt. Another shudder cycled through Psyche when Hisoka's hands found their way beneath the fabric and his fingers blazed hotly up her stomach to cup her breasts.


	12. M-Rated Activities

**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUAL ACTS - IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE READING SUCH MATERIAL YOU ARE ADVISED TO SKIP THIS CHAPTER!**

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to **Razorblade Mistress** for being my beta ^^_

* * *

Hisoka's lips twitched into a half-smirk when he heard the burgundy haired woman grunt as he worked the soft flesh of her breasts beneath his hands. He trailed his mouth done her throat again to suckle the juncture of neck and shoulders. Psyche's hands entwined in his hair and Hisoka felt her struggling in an attempt to keep his head where it was. As she strained to pull him close she caused herself pain, sucking in a breath and relaxing her hold. Hisoka pushed himself back to lazily look at her through half lidded eyes.

Her own eyes were scrunched tight. However Hisoka wasn't about to share control of their pace. He took Psyche's shirt in his hands and tore it lengthwise, revealing to him the black bra and supple skin of her stomach, broken by the fresh cut. He lowered his head and traced around the wound he had inflicted with his tongue, the tangy blood filling his mouth for the second time that night. It acted as an aphrodisiac to the magician.

When Psyche finally conjured sense enough to push him away (first by his shoulders and then by shifting her legs to get leverage to force him back), Hisoka dug his nails into her hips to encourage her movements to stifle. It did not take him long to turn the uncomfortable feeling of his tongue in her wound into a pleasurable sensation. Allowing his left hand to find its way to the front of Psyche's pants, Hisoka spared little time in opening them. He massaged Psyche through the silk of her underwear. He was, at this point, becoming terribly impatient. Straightening himself, Hisoka briskly tossed away his shirt and dropped his own unbuttoned pants, not bothering to shed them completely.

Psyche was in a place between pleasure and pain, her side uncomfortably throbbing after the red head had retracted his tongue. Wanting to return to the blissful feeling of before, she made no protest as Hisoka fully stripped away the clothing from her lower body. Her jeans and underwear were left to pool on the floor as he pinned her harder against the lockers.

His hands found the soft, curved flesh above her thighs. A gasp from Psyche lured a grin onto the magician's face. He responded by lowering one hand and jerking up her right leg to rest against his hip. His hand remained beneath her thigh to lock it in position, never granting Psyche to regain her breath. He immediately pushed two fingers into her, taking special notice of how slick she was.

A breathy moan escaped her at the feeling of Hisoka's fingers moving in and out of her. She could already feel herself peaking, her hips trying to buck to entice his fingers deeper. Psyche's nails pierced the skin of Hisoka's shoulders, leaving behind crimson crescents as she repeated the action down both his upper arms.

The magician savoured the sensation but knew where those hands could be put to better use...

Leaning his forehead against the cool metal he purred into her ear, "Mhmm~ you know where those hands of yours could be put to b-"

He never did get to finish, as Psyche had, in her arousal, instinctively understood his suggestion and relocated her hands to his cock. She matched her rhythm to Hisoka's and soon the two were heaving feverish breaths.

Pulling his fingers out, Hisoka hitched Psyche's leg a little higher on his hip and, as she winced in pain from her wound, slid himself fully into her. She whimpered happily, latching her hands around his neck and waited for him to move.

* * *

Psyche's hands tightened into fists and she bitterly cussed, "Fuck you," as Hisoka bit off the last thread.

Smiling smugly, he unbent himself before stating, "You just have, my little cherry."

Hisoka was still shirtless as he sat on the short wooden bench inside the locker room beside Psyche. She was trying to hold her shirt both closed and out of his way while he stitched up her cut.

The two had just finished their second round, and would have gone on to a third had her wound not inconveniently reopened. As much as the magician enjoyed the addition of crimson to their activities, he had finally relented to Psyche's demands and had sought out a first aid kit. When he had offered to patch her up Psyche had raised an eyebrow, unconvinced he could tie a decent stitch. Nonetheless, without other options available she was forced to simply grit her teeth.

Once everything was tidied up, Psyche decided to tie the ends of her shirt in a knot just below her breasts in a semblance of an intact top, and then the two silently left the room. As the fight had long since ended and no other events were scheduled until the following evening, the hallways were eerily silent. The only noise which reached their ears was that of their own echoing footsteps.


	13. Playing the Valiant Hero

_A/N: Thanks **Razorblade Mistress** for the great betaing job :)_

* * *

The following night found Psyche once more in the underground stadium, hanging around the upper railings where she had a bird's eye view of the stage. She would have preferred not even coming at all; what she wanted was to crawl into a hole. A pounding headache and throbbing side were making the burgundy haired woman very irritable, among other things. Had she been able to find the red head before the fight, Psyche would have told him to end it quickly. As it was, by the time she had arrived the two fighters had already been announced and Osamu was standing to the side of the stage and vigilantly watching for any violations in their attacks.

_Please_, Psyche silently begged the red head as the cheering seemed to grow louder, _please finish this quickly so I can disappear_.

Rubbing her temples, Psyche bowed her head; allowing her hair to shield her face. With painstaking slowness, she closed her eyes. Maybe if she could not see the crowd then she would not be able to hear the crowd, either. Perhaps her headache would then dissipate.

"I see your fighter is still going strong..."

_Damn._

"...but he won't be able to win this."

Psyche groaned as that same mafia geezer stalked over and settled down next to her, only leaning his hip against the metal rungs. Opening her eye a crack to peer at him, Psyche was somewhat relieved at the cigar-empty hands he had crossed over his chest.

Pushing herself into a full standing position, Psyche forced a smile onto her face.

"...And what makes you say that so confidently?"

"Ha! Because some no-name freak won't be able to stand against the seven-year champion of the Inoue Family."

She wanted terribly to thrash that arrogant look from his face.

Instead Psyche inhaled slowly and opted for the mature thing do to and that was to simply ignore him. She turned her head to implicitly dismiss him. Much to her surprise she felt sudden weight upon her shoulder as it was, without warning, yanked on violently. Psyche stumbled back, barely catching herself, and instinctively cupped a hand over her increasingly throbbing side.

_Bastard,_ she cussed mentally, but settled for only a glare.

"You bitch!" he snarled, motioning for a couple of goons to approach. "I can make you pay for your insolence. You were let off easy for what you did last year, but I don't agree with that."

As two taller and broader men sandwiched Psyche between them, the man finally reached for the cigar case from his inside breast pocket; taking the time to light it before he continued.

"I think it's time for you and I to square up, kapeesh?"

Psyche decided not to struggle as her arms were seized and the four of them relocated to a more secluded area. Her only organized thought revolved around missing the end of the red head's fight.

* * *

His fist connected with the nose of his opponent in the final blow of the match. Hisoka stood, uncaring, as the referee approached and already knew it was going to be his victory by knockout.

Osamu stood and grasped Hisoka's wrist to raise his arm above his head for the crowd's sake.

"The winner of the tournament is Hisoka, representing the Eros family!"

The assembly was a three-to-one mix of cheers and boos. Regardless, the only thing the magician bothered to take notice of was the absence of his little cherry. She was no longer leaning over the railings above the stage, nor could he see her milling through the mass of people.

_How odd,_ he borrowed a second to think, though he merely pulled his arm free and shrugged as he casually headed for the stage exit.

* * *

Psyche grunted as her back was thrown against the wall. She had been transferred to a little side alley just beyond the emergency doors. Here it seemed there was little potential of someone stumbling upon and interrupting them. The look on the head honcho's face as he stood with arms folded and allowed the twin goons to close in on her promised that this would a painful and not at all fun experience.

Oh, goodie...

Despite her calm outward appearance, Psyche was quite shaken. She was feeling cornered as her back was literally against a wall and the familiarity of the situation sent her thoughts reeling back to that unapologetic, vulnerable feeling Hisoka had inspired in her but yesterday. In truth, this scenario alone was far more muted compared to then, but the memory was fresh and still powerful enough to hinder her response.

"Work her good boys; though don't touch that pretty face of hers. We aren't savages, after all."

Psyche would have loved to retort in some way, even if she could only manage to get in one good snort, but a solid punch to her stomach knocked the wind from her lungs and any coherent thoughts (however few) from her mind.

Winded and doubled over she had no hope of evading the next attack. A fist connecting with her spine knocked Psyche to her knees. She felt a hand on her head and the next contact that was made came in the form of a sharp tug followed by a blunt smash into her right cheek. Psyche's head spun and she sputtered blood from the freshly split lip. Through the haze she heard a deep throated chuckle, and some belligerent sounding voice...

* * *

Hisoka had been unable to find his little cherry within the building, though he was hardly motivated to use a lump sum of resolve into locating her. Admittedly, he was slightly put off at being unpaid for his effort (however small) throughout the tournament and he had opted to find a nearby bar for a drink. To his good fortune, the sound of a physical confrontation of sorts from the nearby alleyway appealed to his curiosity just as he exited the stadium doors. It was there that he found his little cherry on her knees with a generous amount of blood dripping down and off her chin.

There were also three other men, but Hisoka didn't really care about them. He found the sight of his cherry quite amusing (if not marginally arousing), and let it be known as he leaned against the bricks.

Two heads whipped up to face him while the third man turned his entire body.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Hm... what, indeed?"

Hisoka shrugged and approached, pocketing his hands. It wasn't that he cared for her life, though he did mind that they had decided to play with his toy before he was finished.

The suit wearing man spat an indignant hiss at Hisoka as he walked right past him without a glance. The magician then approached the two muscle men. Their shoulders tensed noticeably and caused Hisoka to turn on a smile that was somewhere between playful and malicious.

"It's time for me to take my toy back," Hisoka purred, allowing a mild sense of bloodlust to permeate the alley and immobilize the thugs.

They weren't all that tough, but with their height and weight advantage (in addition to there being two) Hisoka understood that his toy would not have attempted to fight back; particularly not with that side injury. With a smirk he played almost perfectly the actions of a valiant hero, scooping Psyche up into his arms and walking away while allowing the true monster within to remain sheathed for the time being.

The man who had spoken earlier attempted to stop him from leaving, but aside from lying a shaky hand on the magician's arm (and subsequently receiving a solid kick to the abdomen that sent him flying into the wall), Hisoka left without further incident.

* * *

_A/N: I tried to wrap this story up in thirteen chapters but it would have been too long for my liking, so look forward to the final chapter in a couple more days (when I finish writing it). _


	14. Payment

Allowing herself to be carried in the arms of her red head Psyche kept her eyes hooded and her arms crossed over her stomach. She knew there were things she could probably say, a thank-you being at the top of the list, but for some reason Psyche felt it was better just to stay quiet. It was not as if Hisoka was up for talking either. He had barely looked at her as he walked, seeming in no hurry. With no idea where he was heading Psyche allowed the gentle sway to lull her frazzled mind into unconsciousness.

After everything she had gone through she was content to simply slip away to another realm.

* * *

Hisoka knew when his little cherry stopped pretending to sleep and actually drifted off. He felt the tension in her shoulders drop and her eyelids flutter completely shut. A small smirk revealed itself and the magician continued on, his destination the hotel room he had been occupying for the last two weeks.

"Hmm…" Hisoka hummed as he thought of how long he had been staying in one place. He had not actually meant to remain for longer than a night or two, but having found such an interesting toy in an unlikely spot the magician had consented to stay in order to 'help' her – for a price. It just so happen that he had gained more than he had bargained for. He always enjoyed a toy who tipped the scales in his favor.

* * *

Lazily rolling onto her left side before understanding abruptly dawned on Psyche, she jolted into a sitting position. A sharp pain from her side reminded her not to move so quickly; the spinning in her head told her to lie down again; the throbbing of her lip brought back the day's events.

It took a few minutes for Psyche to sit up again and even longer to orient herself. She finally noticed the extravagant double bed beneath her and, behind a closed door, there was the sound of running water. Apparently she was in a hotel room.

Flopping onto her back Psyche raised her arms to cover her eyes and groaned. She didn't move when she heard the shower shut off or when the bathroom door opened but jumped when, looking between her arms she saw, Hisoka settled onto the mattress beside her. Pink eyes trailed down the water dewed skin as the red head sat against the headboard with one leg tucked beneath him, and Psyche noticed he was naked. Repositioning her arms to re-cover her eyes Psyche thought maybe this was a dream; a hot sexy dream with her red head making a special appearance. Unfortunately when she set her teeth into her lower lip the pain told her she was awake.

"…Psyche~chan," she heard but refused to acknowledge the man. Hisoka forcibly moved her arms, but still Psyche kept her eyes closed. "Hmm, now why isn't my little cherry looking at me? Doesn't the distressed damsel always reward her prince with a kiss?" Psyche could _hear_ the smile dripping from the red head's every word. And, despite wanting to fall asleep and wake up in a new reality, she felt her mouth twitch. The next thing she knew Hisoka had pressed his lips to hers, claiming her mouth effortlessly.

Hisoka pulled at Psyche's bottom lip with his teeth, and when he succeeded in reopening the wound he took advantage of the woman's pain gasped to ravage her tongue with his own.

* * *

Running a hand through her tangled burgundy hair Psyche said in contentment as she sat on the edge of the mattress, wrapped in the sheet. She needed a shower but was in no hurry to stand up. In all honesty she would be happy to fall backwards and sleep, leaving her legs to hang over the side awkwardly.

With a huff Psyche finally pushed herself to her feet.

* * *

Hisoka was lazily reclined on his side, building a house of cards single handily, when his toy returned from the bathroom. The bed sheet had been replaced with a fluffy towel, a second one wrapped about her head, and she walked around the room gathering her belongings. All the while the magician watched with amuse-filled eyes.

As Psyche retrieved her jeans from the floor and immediately dug out her cell phone did she return to looking at the red head, a surprised expression written on her features.

"Ah, right! I haven't paid you, have I?" Psyche tilted her head enough that the towel began to slip from her hair, though she didn't seem to notice. "A deal is a deal," she glanced down at the screen and tapped it a few times before raising her eyes to Hisoka and immediately tossing him the device, "Fill in your account number and I'll transfer the money now."

Hisoka did as instructed while his toy returned her attention to gathering. Just before he tossed it back did he glance at the amount and his eyebrows rose in astonishment. When his cherry had told him it was a high payout tournament he had thought it was an exaggeration to coerce him into saying yes, but if she was not joking and truly intended to pay him nearly five hundred million jennies Hisoka needed to rethink their relationship.

It could become _very_ beneficial to him in the long run… in more ways than one.

* * *

_A/N: It truly amazes me every time I finish a story because it almost never happens. I am terrible at sticking to things until the end (my attention span is really short). _

_But I want to thank my readers, and I want to especially thank those who reviewed: **Razorblade Mistress** (who also did a wonderful beta job for me, and whom I hope doesn't mind helping me out frequently in the future ^^), **MadokaMagica1998**, and **Thehisokalover**._

_Hopefully you all like the ending, and there is contemplation of a sequel. Nothing concrete yet as I have (numerous) other fics to finish first, but seeing as I like Psyche she will probably reappear somewhere at some point._


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